Asthma and Severe Allergic Reactions

no more than 90 days and only if omission of the medication poses a risk of harm to the child.

Off-label medications are FDA approved legal medications that are prescribed for nonapproved indications in children (medications prescribed in doses or routes outside FDA guidelines; medications known to be safe in adults and prescribed without long-term studies demonstrating safety in children; or medications approved to treat one type of medical condition but prescribed for a different medical condition). Experimental or research medications are also considered off-label. Please contact your school nurse to request an off-label medication to be given at school as additional information will be required from the prescribing physician before PISD staff will be able to administer the medication.

Asthma and Severe Allergic Reactions

A student with asthma or severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) may possess and use prescribed asthma or anaphylaxis medication at school or school-related events only if he or she has written authorization from his or her parent and a physician or other licensed health- care provider. The student must also demonstrate to his or her health-care provider and the school nurse the ability to use the prescribed medication, including any device required to administer the medication. PISD reserves the right to require any medication be kept in the clinic if, in the nurse’s judgment, the student cannot or will not carry the medication in a safe manner and/or properly self-administer the medication. If the student has been prescribed asthma or anaphylaxis medication for use during the school day, the student and parents should discuss this with the school nurse.

Unassigned Epinephrine Auto-injectors

In accordance with Chapter 38, Subchapter E of the Education Code, the board has adopted a policy to allow authorized [school personnel and/or school volunteers] who have been adequately trained to administer an unassigned epinephrine auto-injector to a person who is reasonably believed to be experiencing a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

An “unassigned epinephrine auto-injector” is an epinephrine auto-injector prescribed by an authorized health-care provider in the name of the school issued with a non-patient-specific standing delegation order for the administration of an epinephrine auto-injector.

Epinephrine auto-injectors include brand-name devices such as EpiPens®.

Authorized and trained individuals may administer an epinephrine auto-injector at any time to a person experiencing anaphylaxis on a school campus.

The district will ensure that at each campus a sufficient number of [school personnel and/or school volunteers] are trained to administer epinephrine so that at least one trained individual is present on campus during regular school hours and whenever school personnel are physically on site for schoolsponsored activities.

Authorized and trained individuals may administer an unassigned epinephrine auto-injector to a person experiencing anaphylaxis [at an off-campus school event or while in transit to or from a school event] when an unassigned epinephrine auto-injector is available.

For additional information, see FFAC(LEGAL).

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